Communities Directory: Aprovecho

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Formed: 1976 Established: 1981

Aprovecho

Cottage Grove, Oregon,

United States

Aprovecho is a non-profit research and education center located outside of Cottage Grove, Oregon. Our 40 acre rural campus is the classroom for our ongoing educational programs. At Aprovecho you will experience live working examples of Appropriate Technology, Sustainable Forestry, Organic Agriculture, Permaculture, and the interconnectedness that is shared by these systems and with the land.

We offer many different opportunities for learning through our workshops, Permaculture courses, field trips , and open houses. If you are interested in any of these programs, or would like to set up a private workshop for your school or group feel free to contact us

Aprovecho means “to make best use of” in Spanish. On our forty acres of south-facing slope, we are making best use of our resources by growing our food, processing our wood, and generating our energy. Aprovecho’s mission is to serve as a model of sustainability. Our model of sustainability relies on Permacultural design, appropriate technologies, and connecting with the greater Cottage Grove community. While our garden, orchard, livestock, and surrounding community provides us with fresh produce, we continue to seek ways to localize our food security . We cut, yard, peel, dry, and chop wood from our forest, and depend on a local sawyers and horseloggers to assist us in our processing of dimensional lumber. We harness energy with appropriate technologies via bicycle grinders, vegetable oil fuels, passive solar housing and heating, photovoltaic electricity, and efficient wood-combustion. Additionally through natural building techniques such as strawbale insulation, flat-sided small diameter poles for studs, and earthen plaster, we make best use of low-cost, locally available materials.

Appropriate Technology,

Sustainable Solutions

Appropriate technology (AT) can be defined as Technology that can be made at an affordable price by ordinary people using local materials to do useful work. At its core AT is designed for the people and by the people who will be the end users. Aprovecho has been developing and implementing AT both here on the Cottage Grove campus, and in more than 30 countries worldwide since 1979.

Website: http://www.aprovecho.net

Contact:

80574 Hazelton Rd
Cottage Grove, Oregon 97424-8521 United States
Phone: 541-942-8198, 541-942-0761
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Former/Other Names: End of the Road House, Aprovecho Institute, Aprovecho Research Center

Last Updated:3/22/2013

Visitors Accepted

Visitor Process: Please contact us by phone or email if you are interested in coming for a visit. Normally we have an open house the first Sunday of every month. We encourage you to visit during an open house. We do not accept visitors on Saturdays and Sundays (except for open house days). If you are not able to make it to an open house and would like to visit during the week please call at least 1 week in advance to arrange your visit. We are a working community and may not have time to speak with you during your weekday visit. You are welcome to have a look around on your own, and there are self-guided tours available at the office.

Population Adult Members: 14 Child Members: 2 Non-member Residents: 2 Open to new adults: No (All members fill a limited amount of job positions in the organization. New members are only taken on as positions open.) Gender Balance: 50% M 50% F Open to which gender(s): All genders welcome Age Focus: No Focus Age Restrictions: No	Government Decision Making: By consensus Identified Leader: No Leadership Core Group: Yes	Labor and Money Financial Style: Members have independent finances Labor Contribution: Expected Join Fee: No Regular Fees: No
Land and Buildings Rural Area: 40 acres (16.2 hectares) Land Owned By: Independent land trust (not controlled by the community) Number of Residences: 4 Cohousing: Yes	Food, etc. Percentage of Food Grown: 21-50% Share Community Meals: 2-5 times/week Dietary Choice or Restrictions: Diet is up to each individual Dietary Practice: Omnivorous Alcohol Use: Used occasionally Tobacco Use: Seldom used	Social Factors Open to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and/or Transgender members: Yes Shared Spiritual Path: No

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Become an Editor Current editor(s): aprovecho

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